He warned that people not fully vaccinated against the potentially fatal disease need to get the jabs to prevent a similar crisis here.

The programme is aimed at “children aged five to 15 years who are unvaccinated or only partially vaccinated” and will begin in the next few weeks.

Mr Poots said: “Although uptake rates of the MMR have traditionally been very high here there are still some children who are unvaccinated or partially vaccinated. Measles is very serious and extremely infectious.

“I would urge all parents to ensure children are fully protected and would urge all young people who are not fully vaccinated to go to their GP and get the vaccine.”

The routine MMR vaccination is usually given shortly after a child’s first birthday and again before Primary One.

More than 1,200 cases of measles were reported in the Swansea area earlier this year.

Experts believe the rise in measles cases is largely due to the number of unprotected 10 to 16- year-olds who missed out on vaccination in the late-1990s and early-2000s amid unfounded concerns of a link between the MMR vaccine and autism.

Measles had been eliminated in the UK but after years of reduced MMR uptake, it became re-established in 2007.

“MMR vaccination is the safest and most effective way to prevent infection. It is never too late to vaccinate and I would encourage parents and young people to ensure they have had two doses to protect against measles.”

Department of Health officials yesterday said that while “measles may continue to circulate in the UK, risks in Northern Ireland are much lower because our vaccination uptake rate is high”.